PLANNING A TRIP TO JAPAN: WHAT I LEARNED ON MY THIRD VISIT.
- sueaitken7
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
If you’re planning a trip to Japan and wondering how to structure your itinerary, how many days to spend in Tokyo, whether the Japan Rail Pass is worth it, or which regions to prioritise, here are a few insights from my third visit.
Japan is endlessly compelling, but it’s also a destination where pacing, geography and logistics matter more than many travellers realise. This journey took me from snowy Hokkaido to Osaka, Ise and Tokyo — a mix of new discoveries and familiar favourites — and reinforced how much the experience depends on how you design your Japan itinerary from the outset.
Visiting Hokkaido in Winter: Sapporo Snow Festival, Otaru and Kushiro
This was my first visit to Hokkaido, timed around the Sapporo Snow Festival.
The festival itself is impressive — enormous snow sculptures, intricate ice work and a lively winter atmosphere. But if you’re considering visiting Hokkaido in winter, it makes most sense as part of a broader winter-focused Japan itinerary, particularly if you’re combining it with skiing or exploring more of northern Japan.
If you’re staying in Sapporo, Otaru is well worth adding to your itinerary. Its old canal district, lined with historic warehouses, looks particularly picturesque under snow and offers a gentler contrast to the city.
Further east, Kushiro is not somewhere you visit for aesthetic appeal. It’s functional, a little stark and lacking in obvious charm.
However, Kushiro is the gateway to seeing the famous red-crowned cranes in Japan. Watching their balletic mating dance in the winter light was one of the standout experiences of the trip. If wildlife is of interest, this can be a very special addition — but it needs to be incorporated deliberately into your Japan travel plans.
Osaka Travel Tips: Look Beyond Dotonbori
Osaka was a first for me.
Dotonbori is exactly as colourful and chaotic as you’d expect — great fun and visually loud. But the real character of the city emerges when you step slightly away from the main tourist areas.
Exploring Tenma on a food tour offered a more local perspective — informal eateries, narrow streets and everyday atmosphere. When planning a Japan itinerary, choosing the right neighbourhood within each city can completely shape your experience.
Is Ise Worth Visiting?
Ise is home to Japan’s most sacred shrine complex and is a place many Japanese people feel compelled to visit at least once in their lifetime.
The setting is peaceful and surrounded by ancient forest. The shrines themselves are surprisingly simple compared to some of Japan’s more ornate temples — and there’s a quiet power in that simplicity.
The lively street near the inner shrine complex adds welcome energy.
If you’re planning your first trip to Japan, I wouldn’t prioritise Ise over cities like Tokyo or Kyoto. However, for a second or third visit to Japan, it works beautifully as part of a more layered itinerary.
How Many Days in Tokyo? Why Five Nights Works
I spent five nights in Tokyo (my fourth visit), and I remain convinced that this is one of the best cities in the world for repeat exploration.
Staying in Ginza worked extremely well — central, polished and within easy reach of transport links. I love this area of Tokyo with its fantastic architecture that comes to into its own once the sun's gone down. And it was a welcome return visit to the Peninsula where they've really got the service ethic just right.
Tokyo rewards a mix of revisiting well-known areas and incorporating new experiences. teamLab Borderless was immersive and genuinely entertaining. A samurai sword lesson was both fun and unexpectedly absorbing — much like the taiko drumming class I experienced on a previous visit. Including interactive cultural experiences like these within a Japan itinerary adds depth beyond sightseeing.
One quieter highlight was visiting Gotokuji Temple - reputed to be the origin of the Maneki Neko - the beckoning cat so often seen in shop windows across Japan. It’s a small, understated place filled with rows of white ceramic cats left by visitors. Not a headline attraction, but a lovely example of how Tokyo reveals its character through detail rather than scale.
If you have sufficient time in Tokyo, I would strongly recommend incorporating a day trip from Tokyo to Nikko. It was a return visit here for me - and I was so pleased to go back. The shrine complex and forest setting are extraordinary and add contrast to the urban intensity of the capital. You really get a sense of what it would have been like to live in the times of the shoguns and the samurai. Fabulous buildings and such artistry and craftsmanship in the decoration.
Japan Rail Pass vs Point-to-Point Tickets
On this trip, I travelled using individual point-to-point rail tickets rather than a Japan Rail Pass.
Depending on your routing, buying tickets individually can make financial sense. However, I was reminded how useful the flexibility of a Japan Rail Pass can be — particularly in cities like Tokyo and Osaka where spontaneity often leads to unexpected discoveries.
When planning a trip to Japan, rail strategy is one of the small logistical decisions that can significantly influence the overall ease of travel.
Designing the Right Japan Itinerary
After three visits, I’m more convinced than ever that Japan rewards thoughtful structuring.
It’s tempting to include Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Hakone, Takayama and Osaka all within one trip. While Japan’s train system is efficient, frequent movement still consumes time and energy.
A well-designed Japan itinerary:
Balances urban intensity with quieter moments
Minimises unnecessary hotel changes
Places you near key transport hubs
Builds in immersive cultural experiences
Allows breathing space between regions
Small structural decisions — pacing, transport, neighbourhood choice and regional balance — make a disproportionate difference to how effortless a trip to Japan feels.
Japan isn’t about ticking off cities. It’s about getting the rhythm right from the outset.
If you’re planning a trip to Japan for 2026 or beyond and would value experienced input on shaping the right itinerary, I’m always very happy to talk it through. A short conversation early in the planning process can make a significant difference to how seamless and rewarding the experience feels once you’re there. Get in touch.
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